The invention relates generally to firearms, and, more particularly, to a sighting device for a grenade launcher mounted on a firearm
An automatic weapon with a grenade launcher attached to it underneath its barrel is known from U.S. Pat. No. 3,165,836. The ballistics of the small-caliber, very fast gun bullet and the comparably sluggish, but very large-caliber grenade shell are so different that the gun sight cannot be sufficiently adapted to permit satisfactory targeting during the launching of grenades.
In accordance with an aspect of the invention, a firearm is provided which includes an automatic weapon having a barrel, and a grenade launcher attached underneath the barrel of the automatic weapon. The firearm also includes at least two mounting surfaces. The at least two mounting surfaces are located on opposite sides of the firearm. The firearm also includes an open sighting device for the grenade launcher. The sighting device has an off-center line of sight and includes a carrier component for selective attachment to either of the at least two mounting surfaces. The sighting device also includes a sight carrier detachably attached to the carrier component such that, upon detaching the carrier component and the sight carrier from a first one of the at least two mounting surfaces and reattaching the carrier component and the sight carrier to a second one of the at least two mounting surfaces, the sight carrier can be detached from the carrier component, reversed in orientation, and reattached to the carrier component. The sighting device also includes a front sight on a first side of the sight carrier, and a rear sight blade on a second side of the sight carrier.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a sighting device is provided for a grenade launcher of a firearm including an automatic weapon and a grenade launcher. The sighting device includes a mounting bracket adapted to be removably attached to either of a first side and a second side of the firearm. The first side is opposite the second side. The device also includes a sight mount adapted to be attached to the mounting bracket in a first orientation when the mounting bracket is attached to the first side of the firearm and to be attached to the mounting bracket in a second orientation when the mounting bracket is attached to the second side of the firearm. The sight mount defines a first recess and a second recess. The sighting device further includes a front sight pivotably attached to the sight mount for movement between a sighting position in which the front sight is disposed in a generally upright position and a rest position in which the front sight is at least partially disposed within the first recess, and a rear sight pivotably attached to the sight mount for movement between a sighting position in which the rear sight is disposed in a generally upright position and a rest position in which the rear sight is at least partially disposed within the second recess. The front sight and the rear sight are offset from a center axis of the firearm.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a method of readying a firearm including an automatic weapon and a grenade launcher for firing the grenade launcher is provided. The method includes the steps of: if an intended shooter is right handed, mounting a sighting device on a first side of the firearm; if an intended shooter is left handed, mounting the sighting device on a second side of the weapon opposite the first side; pivoting a front sight from a resting position to a sighting position; and pivoting a rear sight from a resting position to a sighting position.
Other features and advantages are inherent in the disclosed apparatus or will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description and its accompanying drawings.